Re disability policy generally. I've just caught up with the news that the Associate Minister with responsibility for the Ministry of Health's Disability Support Services is Julie Anne Genter. So we need to make sure she is on our mailing, advocacy and other relevant lists. Wonder if she knows about this Access blog?

I remember the opening of Wellington airport. My father drove us to one of the roads overlooking it and we watched the plane displays. I was a pre-schooler but it must have made a big impression on me. (I also remember seeing the flying boats in Evans Bay which preceded the airport).

A few years later I remember the moment my primary school teacher told us about Kennedy's death (54 years ago today).

Yes they have committed to doing both. Tracey Martin was on the Nation in the weekend talking about the historic abuse inquiry. The main problem as far as I am concerned is getting the terms of reference wide enough to include everyone affected and all their concerns.

There is a commitment to getting both inquiries started in the 100 days which goes to the 3 Feb. It seems like the historic abuse one needs to be bigger and fuller, while most of the issues are already known for the mental health inquiry so it can be smaller and quicker and lead to some practical actions to improve things early next year.

So it seems like Tracey Martin is in charge of the historic abuse inquiry and David Clark appears to be scoping the mental health one. There are some complex processes to sort out but I am hopeful we will see action on both by February.

The two Labour MPs and Nat David Carter are at the Commonwealth Parliament Conference and David Parker and Winston at APEC. So all legitimately away on Parliamentary business. The government probably thought the convention that this is accepted in votes would be respected by the Opposition. But maybe because they weren't actually signed up yet made a difference. Or maybe the Nats are just being sore losers.

The other side of the issue is that National gets to chair or deputy chair many of the committees (the last Opposition only had one chair) and that many of the committees have 50/50 membership so not the automatic Government majority the last Parliament had. (Which incidentally meant that Labour, Greens and NZ First learned to work well together as in the Education Select Committee dyslexia and autism inquiry.)

As someone who regularly goes to select committees I have noticed that there are often substitute MPs for the named members of the Committee. So surely it is good to have a few spares?

It am very angry and upset about it. These men were often treated as less than human for years by an uncaring system in which they were incarcerated. They experienced some of the worst aspects of institutionalisation. But all fine according to the Judge. They were 'dangerous' and therefore had no rights and were fortunate to have such kind and caring staff looking after them.

It is sad that Colin Burgering, who championed the rights of these men and others, died last year so can no longer fight for them. Tony Ellis argued the case with minimal resources against the full resources of the state. He could now take it to the United Nations under the Optional Protocol of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - but who would fund that?

This is why an inquiry into our mental health system and a separate inquiry into historic abuse, are so urgent. These men - and all the others - need to be supported to tell their own stories. This needs to be done in a respectful and inclusive way. In an adversarial environment they will never win.